Despite its reputation as a right-of-center online news outlet, recent reports indicate Newsmax is one year into a five-year commitment to donate $1 million to the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation.

A Wall Street Journal report this week indicated that the organization’s CEO, Chris Ruddy, confirmed the pledge, denying it has any bearing on whom the site will endorse in the 2016 presidential cycle. He did acknowledge, however, that he thinks the Democrat frontrunner would “make a great presidential candidate.”

Sources confirm Ruddy has been a friend of the Clintons for nearly a decade.

Related Stories

News of the contribution led to plenty of social media scorn aimed at the media organization.

Twitter

The Journal also focused on another controversial aspect of the foundation’s fundraising efforts. Despite portraying the practice as entirely above board, the Clintons have faced mounting criticism for accepting international donations even as Hillary Clinton mounts a presidential campaign.

Advertisement - story continues below

The Republican National Committee’s Michael Short explained why a potential president beholden to donors abroad is problematic.

“The alarming rate at which these contributions are now coming in presents a massive conflict-of-interest problem for her,” he explained. “When that 3 a.m. phone call comes, do voters really want to have a president on the line who took truckloads of cash from other countries? Absolutely not.”

For its part, the Clinton Foundation issued the following statement:

The Clinton Foundation has strong donor integrity and transparency practices that go above and beyond what is required of U.S. charities and well beyond the practices of most peer organizations. This includes the voluntary, full disclosure of donors on our website for anyone to see. The bottom line: these contributions are helping improve the lives of millions of people across the world, for which we are grateful.